1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to facilities used to promote the use of battery powered electric vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
New technological developments have been made to electric vehicles making them a viable alternative to combustion engine powered vehicles. Typically, electric vehicles are powered by lead-acid batteries which must be charged for several hours between uses. While new batteries are being developed, they still remain very heavy, store a relatively small electric charge, and require long recharging periods. Unless new batteries are developed which overcome these drawbacks, use of electric vehicles will continue to lag behind combustion engine powered vehicles.
The invention disclosed herein addresses several of these drawbacks by providing a means to quickly and conveniently exchange a discharged battery in an electric vehicle and replace it with a recharged battery. The discharged battery can then be recharged and exchanged with another discharged battery in another vehicle.
Currently, there are numerous devices and methods for removing a discharged battery or battery pack from an electric vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,597 discloses a quick exchange battery apparatus which includes a pneumatic carrier that moves across a horizontal platform to remove the discharged battery pack from a vehicle and then replace it with a charged battery. U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,423 discloses the use of a forklift used to lift and remove the discharged battery from the vehicle. Other types of systems use a block and tackle hoist arrangement.
The problems associated with the above apparatus and methods is that they are not convenient and are too time consuming to use. As a result, such apparatus and methods do not promote the use of electric vehicles.
A means is needed which enables a discharged battery to be conveniently and quickly removed and exchanged in an electric vehicle. Such a means should include the use of standard shape and size batteries which are universally adaptable for use in many different kinds of electric vehicles, and can be easily removed from the vehicle and replaced with a recharged battery, and can be quickly recharged on site and then used in another electric vehicle.